Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
OH, I needed that! What a fun little book!
A seventy-year-old main character? Finally!
A chance to see life from the octopus’s point of view? Yes!
I was lucky to listen to this book on a Libby audiobook. The voices are fantastic!
Especially octopus’s pompous voice.
I don’t want to give any of it away. Just dive in and enjoy!
![Cadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing Water [Revised and Updated Edition]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1566913318l/52699139._SX98_SY160_.jpg)
Cadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing Water [Revised and Updated Edition] by Marc Reisner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Joe Spieler (Narrator), and Kate Udall (Narrator) mostly Mr. Spieler, tell the history of water, dams, resources, and politics.
I’d love to say it was exciting. Unfortunately, as informative as it was, it was hard to stay with it. This was a library, Libby, audiobook. I needed to finish as others were waiting for the book so I listened every chance I could. Still, having been married to an employee on the California Aqueduct and lived up and down the state of California, I was able to follow a lot of the history as it unfolded in the way of how politics played into everything.
What I appreciated most was when Kate Udall started reading near the end of the science, ecology, and climate changes play a part in the most important element for life besides air. I feel this is a textbook everyone should take the time for. Whether you agree with it all or not, this is still a lot here to chew on for a while.
Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
People who believe they are ignorant of nothing have neither looked for, nor stumbled upon, the boundary between what is known and unknown in the universe.”
– Neil deGrasse Tyson, Astrophysics for People in a Hurry
Though I felt like a total ignorant fool while listening to this book, I thoroughly loved it. I listened to this man’s great voice at my bedtime read. Neil deGrasse Tyson keeps the subject educating while inserting enough humor to keep a person listening.
I think this would be a good book to own while listening to the Audible remember to take notes and get ready to research like crazy.
The Last Bookshop in London: A Novel of World War II by Madeline Martin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I’m so sorry I am finished reading this book! I wanted to live with these characters. No, I didn’t want to live during a war, especially while bombs were dropping. But I love living with book people who love to share books with those they love. Oh, yeah. I already live that, sans bombs!
Saskia Maarleveld (Narrator) keeps the story live. Not even a moment did I remember real life while in the book.
I love stories about females during World War II, but they are often soft mushy girls who do not seek their inner strength. They often fall in love with the guy and become arm candy or the like. Not our main character here. She seeks her own worth and, in the process, finds a fellow book lover, even before she has become addicted to the same.
Please, if you get the chance, try this book. I think you may love it as much as I did. I was lucky to pick it up on Libby, but I am seriously thinking of getting my own copy for when I want to curl up in a guaranteed good read. I hope you love it as much as I do.
The Book Woman’s Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I didn’t realize until the author’s note at the end of this book that this is book two of a series. So it can obviously stand alone. I was lucky to find it on Libby as an audiobook. I don’t know if the book reads with quite the accent of the narrator, Katie Schorr, but I think she adds authenticity to the story.
I don’t usually add the blurb about the book but I don’t think I could do the story justice, so:
In the ruggedness of the beautiful Kentucky mountains, Honey Lovett has always known that the old ways can make a hard life harder. As the daughter of the famed blue-skinned, Troublesome Creek packhorse librarian, Honey and her family have been hiding from the law all her life. But when her mother and father are imprisoned, Honey realizes she must fight to stay free, or risk being sent away for good.
Picking up her mother’s old packhorse library route, Honey begins to deliver books to the remote hollers of Appalachia. Honey is looking to prove that she doesn’t need anyone telling her how to survive. But the route can be treacherous, and some folks aren’t as keen to let a woman pave her own way.
If Honey wants to bring the freedom books provide to the families who need it most, she’s going to have to fight for her place, and along the way, learn that the extraordinary women who run the hills and hollers can make all the difference in the world.
It’s worth the read. May I suggest the possibility of triggers in abusive situations? Serious outcomes. But the strength of the young woman as she learns to stand up for herself is amazing.
It is worth the read. Now I am looking up book 1 and hoping it won’t be difficult to go backward. I’ll let you know later.
Ape House by Sara Gruen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a fun book. I was able to pick it up on Libby as an audiobook. The story was great. Paul Boehmer (Narrator) was not the best. The only difference in characters was the Russian prostitute. The other women sounded foolish. All the men sounded the same. That caused me, the listener, to miss who was talking.
I enjoyed the bits about the monkeys and thinking about how much we could learn from other species if we could meet with some language. I thought the author showed the mentality of both humans and apes.
If you get the chance, I recommend this read. I think the psychology and philosophies brought up are interesting to ponder.
On Rotation by Shirlene Obuobi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Who recommended this to me? Thank you, whoever you are. I am usually not into romance novels, but I loved this all the way through! However, recommended, I do remember looking it up and finding it on Libby.
Mela Lee (Narrator) told the story with believable passion.
I’m crazy about medical stories; a Grey’s Anatomy fan from the beginning, Dr. Kildare, started me out when I was a child. So this story pulled me right in. That it included a younger generation of adults and another culture made it even more engaging.
I may come back to reread this when I need a light distraction again.
The House Of The Scorpion by Nancy Farmer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I have mixed feelings about this book. Much of it gives me the creeps. I love the Walking Dead and think cloning will never bring exact replicas due to the environment and circumstances of the original versus that of the clone. But the treatment of people in this dystopia seems horrible and never improves.
Nancy Farmer’s writing keeps the reader engaged. That is why I read to the end.
Robert Ramirez (Narrator) did well when reading for the males in the book, but all the females sounded foolish and unreal.
A few years ago, I decided to read primarily women authors who wrote of strong female main characters. I have found that women portray their sex far better than males do. The male narrators are great for boys or men but seem unable to play the fem parts.
Another thing, this is supposed to be a book for middle grades to adults. I can’t imagine a child reading this. I can’t imagine not getting nightmares from this as a kid. It nearly did that to me as an adult. On the other hand, I think it would have been a good read together and discussed with my children when they were old enough to handle the subject matter. My kids were better at the scary books and movies than I was. But I wouldn’t have wanted them to miss the lessons presented.
On the plus side, I loved getting into another culture. The Spanish language and mores are a beautiful addition.
Look, I don’t want to taint your opinion of this book. There are so many varied ratings; everyone sees this story differently. There are lessons for the modern world to look at sprinkled all over.
Ali in Wonderland by Ali Wentworth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Humor makes the reading difference. I had just read Mean Baby by Selma Blair when I picked this up from Libby. Both were read by the authors. Both covered many of the same types of life situations. But I have to admit I could handle this far easier. I think because Ali had found the humor in the situation, it made it easier not to get triggered by the author’s circumstances. That is not to say one is better than the other—just my ability to handle the essays.
The other reason I think this went down more effortless for me was that I felt more familiar with Ali Wentworth. I like watching her on the talk shows and even listening to her podcasts. So I encourage others to read both books. Just know as you enter that this is humorous, even some laugh-out-loud moments. That could be a bad thing if you aren’t in the mood to laugh. 🙂
Mean Baby: A Memoir of Growing Up by Selma Blair
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Many reviews about this book are high, some are low ratings. It’s her life. I don’t think it is up to me to judge it. Her life is far different than mine. Yet, I found a deep dive into another life, another memoir gave me insight into writing my own.
Until I saw Selma Blair on the View, I think it was, I had only heard the name and couldn’t put a face with the name. Not too uncommon for me with anyone. Her movies weren’t my type of movie. But I have known friends and loved ones that had MS. It is such a horrifying disease. I was curious to see how this person handled it.
If you like autobiographies, memoirs, this is for you. If you don’t, you might move forward to another read. Ms. Blair gets personal and honest about many aspects of her life. I found the writing well done. And her voice is actively involved; honest tears are felt when she reads the parts most vulnerable.
Since her life always included pain and depression, it is spelled out quite often. If that is triggering for you, this might not be the read for you. It does help to see how someone else worked through her own darkness. I think it was worth the read.
Congrats! You have completed your goal of reading 100 books for the 2013 Reading Challenge! 115 of 100 (115%)
Congrats! You have completed your goal of reading 225 books for the 2012 Reading Challenge! 225 of 225 (100%)
Congrats! You have completed your goal of reading 200 books for the 2011 Reading Challenge! 204 of 200 (102%)
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